Congress, through section 1011(e) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, (Pub. L. 116-260), directed DOE to establish a competitive program for WAP Enhancement & Innovation (E&I), with five (5) purposes:

• Expand the number of dwelling units that are occupied by low-income persons that receive weatherization assistance by making such dwelling units weatherization-ready;
• Promote the deployment of renewable energy in dwelling units that are occupied by low-income persons;
• Ensure healthy indoor environments by enhancing or expanding health and safety measures and resources available to dwellings that are occupied by low-income persons;
• Disseminate new methods and best practices among entities providing weatherization assistance; and
• Encourage entities providing weatherization assistance to hire and retain employees who are individuals – from the community in which the assistance is provided and from communities or groups that are underrepresented in the home energy performance workforce, including religious and ethnic minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.

SCEP anticipates that the FOA may include the following three (3) Topic Areas:

• Topic Area 1 – Multifamily Housing
• Topic Area 2 – Single Family & Manufactured Housing
• Topic Area 3 – Workforce Development

This Notice is issued so that interested parties are aware of the SCEP’s intention to issue this FOA in the near term. All of the information contained in this Notice is subject to change. Once the FOA has been released, SCEP will provide an avenue for potential applicants to submit questions.

This is a Notice of Intent only. SCEP may issue a FOA as described herein, may issue a FOA that is significantly different than the FOA described herein, or may not issue a FOA at all.